2011 home opener

Ceremonial first pitch: Padres alumni representing different eras of the team’s 75-year history (including minor league)

3:35: Game begins

Return to glory

The Padres are hoping San Diego native Aaron Harang will resemble the pitcher he was with Cincinnati in 2006-07, rather than 2008-10.

Seasons / W-L / ERA / BB / SO / WHIP*

2006-07 / 32-17 / 3.75 / 108 / 434 / 1.208

2008-10 / 18-38 / 4.71 / 131 / 377 / 1.442

Career / 81-87 / 4.33 / 407 / 1,205 / 1.345

Walks & hits/inning

Besides the military jet flyover, the unfurling of a humongous American flag, plus the red, white and blue bunting, the Padres should apply another touch to today’s home opener against the San Francisco Giants.

Try a parade of floats, plus crowning a queen and king.

Because for Aaron Harang, it’s homecoming.

The former Patrick Henry High and San Diego State star will take his 6-foot-7, 261-pound frame, amble atop the mound at Petco Park, and at about 3:35 p.m., realize a dream come true.

He’ll pitch for his hometown team.

Harang, 32, has pocketed more than $40 million playing baseball, earned Cy Young Award votes and tumbled to the depths of a combined 18-38 record the past three seasons. Like holding runners on first, he normally keeps his emotions in check.

But Harang cracked a playful smile when recalling his reaction to drawing today’s start.

“I kind of got that little tingle in my gut,” Harang said. “Like, wow, this is pretty cool. I get to open in my hometown, (in front of) my family and friends.”

Harang grew up in Allied Gardens, regularly attending Padres games less than 10 minutes away at Jack Murphy Stadium. Aaron and his Little League buddies got dropped off on Friars Road, walked into the front entrance, bought $5 general admission tickets, then sneaked down to the expensive seats.

They’d stroll about the concourse, seeing who could post the highest numbers on the radar gun or chase each other around the circular ramps.

Aaron’s father, Mike, remembers when his son was about 11 and they were seated in field-level seats, just to the right of the left-field foul pole. Steve Garvey hit a screaming liner directly at them. Mike was holding a Walkman.

“I look up and Aaron goes, ‘Dad, here it comes,’ ” recalled Mike. “I stand up and try to catch it, which was pretty stupid. It’s a 100 mph liner, but I did it anyway ’cause that’s what you do. I dropped the radio and busted it. Didn’t get the ball either, but I got a sore hand.”

In 2006 and ’07, Harang was one of the baseball’s best pitchers, compiling a 32-17 record for the Cincinnati Reds.

“He’s probably one of the most unheralded Cy Young candidates in baseball,” manager Dusty Baker said after the 2007 season.

But Harang struggled mightily the next three seasons, with Petco Park and Baker playing significant roles. On May 25, 2008, three days after throwing 103 pitches, Harang came out of the bullpen at Petco, pitching four shutout innings in an eventual 12-9, 18-inning loss.

He started again four days later and was shelled, allowing six earned runs in four innings. His pitch total: 239 in eight days.

His arm fatigued, Harang altered his delivery. He hurt his forearm and went on the disabled list. In ’09, he was still searching for his old mechanics, then missed the final six weeks after undergoing an appendectomy. In 2010, he was waylaid by a bad back and 5.27 ERA.

Asked if he has something to prove this year, to himself, to skeptics, Harang paused, then added, “Well, you do have people who doubt you.”

Said Mike Harang, “I think that’s his primary focus, to say, I belong here. I can do this job, and I can help this team win.”

Harang is a strikeout, fly-ball pitcher. Over the past four seasons he ranked ninth among major league pitchers in fly-ball percentage (42.2). Pitching in hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park, Harang served up 43 homers at home the past three seasons.

ESPN reviewed those 43 home runs, transposing them over Petco Park’s dimensions. The result: 13 (30 percent) would not have gone out at Petco.

“You have some room for error,” he said. “You’re not going to have those routine fly balls (where) you’re biting your nails when they go up in the air, (wondering) if they’re gonna go over the wall or not.”

Under Balsley’s direction, Harang has slowed down his mechanics, kicking his left leg a little higher, holding his weight back on his right foot before driving to the plate. The result: an extra 3 mph on his fastball, up to 93 mph.

Catcher Nick Hundley likes what he’s seen.

“You don’t put up the kind of numbers he has over a long period of time without knowing how to get the job done,” Hundley said.

But the numbers have not been pleasant for some time.

What does the future hold?

As Black likes to say, “That’s why you play the games.”

Harang only promises this.

“I’ll tell you what,” he said. “If any guy tells you that he never wanted to have the opportunity to pitch at home, they’d be lying to you.”